darling-



(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. DARLING.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 338,041. I Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

N PETERS. Fhcm-Ldhognpher. Wasivngiun. n. c.

7 Sheets Sheet 2. J. DARLING.

(No Model.)

GAR COUPLING.

Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

N. PETERS, PhoIoLilhcgraphur. Washln mn. D4 Q (No Model.) 7'Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. DARLING.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 338,041. Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. DARLING.

CAR COUPLING.

No. 338,041. Patented Mar. 16. 1886.

7 Sheets-Sheet 5. J. DARLING.

(No Model.)

GAR COUPLING.

No. 338,041. Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

(N0 Model.) I 7 Sheet-Sheet 6.

J. DARLING.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 338,041. Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 7.

J. DARLING.

CAR COUPLING. No. 338,041. Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN DARLING, OF GLASGOWV, COUNTY OF LANARK, SCOTLAND.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,041, dated March16, 1886.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN DARLING, of 11 Bothwell Street, Glasgow, in thecounty of Lanark, Scotland, engineer, have invented Improvements inApparatus for Coupling and Uncoupling Railway-Vehicles, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention, which relates to improve ments in apparatus for couplingand uncoupling railway-vehicles, consists in providing the outer link ofthe coupling-chain with guides at each side of its outer end, which,when two railway-vehicles are run together, direct the outer end, so asto cause it to slide up over an inclined tail-piece formed on thedraw-hook of the opposite vehicle, so that the coupling-chain is thusdirected to catch into the coupling-hook. The operation of coupling isfurther insured by a guide projecting over the coupling-hook at asufficient distance therefrom to allow the outer end of the outer linkof the chain to pass into engagement with the coupling-hook. The linksof the couplingchains are so constructed and sustained that they supporteach other in a horizontal line stiffly prior to the coupling action.The drawhook is carried upon ashaft which also passes through thedraw-bar, and this shaft is pro vided with handles at either end, sothat the hook can be turned round into the position for either couplingor uncoupling, or for placing the hook, with its tail-piece of either oftwo adjacent couplings, into such position as will allow either of thecoupling'chains to be coupled with the opposite draw-hooks. Theapparatus is provided with catches or locks for securing the draw-hookand its connections in either of the positions hereinbefore mentioned. Arest is or may be provided for the outer link of the coupling-chain onone or both sides of the draw-hook. The lock of the apparatus is soconstructed that a cam or its equivalent on the aforesaid shafts, as theshafts are rotated, both locks and unlocks the draw-hook, and at thesame time moves the draw-hook into any one of its required positions.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan, and Fig. 2 a side elevation, of arailwaycoupling as constructed according to my present invention. Figs.3 and 4 are side elevations of the same when respectively in itscoupling and uncoupling positions. Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are enlargedviews of detached portions of the same, and all hereinafter moreparticularly described. Fig. 9 is a plan, drawn to a reduced scale, of apair of couplings as constructed according to my present invention whenin their engaged or coupled position. Figs. 10, 1], and 12 are sideelevations of a modified portion of the same when in posi tionsdiffering, all as hereinafter more particularly described.

In carrying my present invention into practice I construct the outerlink, a, of the coupling-chain with the guides I). These guides are soarranged that upon any two railway-vehicles fitted with my improvedcoupling apparatus approaching each other the outer link, a, of eitherone of such vehicles, as may be desired, is guided up the tailpiece andover the point e of the opposite coupling-hook,d. The inner link of thecoupling-chain is composed of the two parallel bars 6, which bars areriveted, as shown at f, or otherwise suitably secured together at theirinner ends. The rivet or pin f passes through the slotted holeg of thecoupling-hook d, and is constructed in such a manner as admits of thecoupling-chain pivoting freely in the said slotted hole. The outer endsof the bars 6 are secured to the inner ends of the coupling-link a bymeans of the screwed bolt and nut h,or their equivalents, provisionbeing had for the free radial motion of the said link a about the pivothin an upward direction. The outer link, a, may be rigidly sup ported ina horizontal or approximately horr zontal position by the inner link, e,for which purpose the bars of the said link. 0 are pro vided with theprojections 2', arranged in such position as to obstruct the radial pathof the stops j,-formed on the outer link, a. The inner link, 6, when inthis coupling conditiou,is supported by the pin it, which rests upon thelatch Z. This latchl is pivoted at m to the lower part of thecoupling-hook d, and is so arranged relatively with the adjacent partsthereof that it abuts at its top against the said coupling-hook whensupporting the link 0, but can be turned about its pivot on in suchmanner that the curved slot n is left clear. The curved -slot a isformed in the lower part of the coupling-hook d, and is of widthsufficient to allow the pin is to be pushed overthe point of the latchZ, so as to be clear of the said latch. The coupling-hook is carriedupon the transverse bar 0, which, as shown on a reduced scale at Fig. 9,extends outward to thetwo sides of the vehicle and at its extremities issquared, so as to admit of the hand-levers p,or their equivalents, beingplaced thereon when required for the purposes of coupling or uncoupling.The transverse bar 0 is supported in the sides q of the forked end ofthe bar 1-, this bar being connected to the draw-bar of the vehicle inany of thewell-known ways. The transverse bar 0, which is ormay be alsosupported at or near its ends in suitably-slotted brackets or theirequivalents, is provided with the key or feather 8, (represented indotted lines upon the annexed) drawings, and which is capable of beingturned rotatively for a slight distance in the coupling-hook (1 withoutaffecting its position, this turning motion being eniployed to operatethe locking mechanism. This'locking mechanism consists of the two camst, which fit tightly upon and rotate always with the shaft 0, and ofthe-cam-piston a, which is operated by the cams ,t, the said cams beingarranged one at each side of the coupling-hook, as represented in dottedlines at Fig. l. The cam piston u is represented in enlarged view inside elevation at Fig. 5, and in front elevation at Fig. 6, while one ofthe earns tisrepresented, also on an enlarged scale, in side elevationand in front elevation or edge view at Figs. 7 and 8, respectively. Thecoupling-hook is provided with the projections 22, one of which,according to the position in which the said coupling-hook d is locked,is engaged by the recess w in the face of the cam-piston u, as shownmore particularly at Figs. '5 and 6. The cam piston to is pressedoutward by means of the spiral or equivalent spring, which isrepresented in dotted lines at '03 upon the annexeddrawings, and whichis contained within a recess formed in the bar 1'. The forked end q ofthe bar 1' is closed in at its top by the sheet-iron casing y, and theupper projections, z, of the said bar 0 serve to direct the outer end ofthe outer link, a, of the opposite coupling down over the point e of thecouplinghook, while the lower projections, a, serve to support the saidlink a, so as to pass over the point 0 when uncoupling, as is I shown atFig. 4 of the annexed drawings, in

which figure the link a is represented in dotted lines.

Should it be desired to couple together two railway-vehicles each fittedwith my improved coupling, the links a at the time hanging loose in avertical position, as indicated in dotted lines at .Fig. 2, one of thecoupling-hooks d is turned into the position indicated at Fig. 3,

and the other of the two coupling-hooks is,

turned into its lowermost position, as represented at Fig. 4, where thelatch Z by its own gravity pivots so that its point projects into thecurved slots n and engageswith the pin 7c,

nd in being ra se the coupling-h k d ries the coupling chain upward withit into the position shown at Fig. 2. The two vehicles, with theircouplings so arranged, are run toward each other, and on meeting theouter link, a, of the horizontal coupling-chain runs,

in the manner indicated in dotted lines at Fig. 3, up the tail-piece andinclined back of the opposite coupling hook, and on striking against thefork q or projections z pushes the said engaging coupling-chain back,andtherepoint gof the said hook; or the disengaged eouplingchaius may heraised into a horizontal or coupling positign by the apparatus-represented, respective1y,in side elevation at Figs.

10 and 11, and in part side elevation and part vertical section at Fig.12 of the. annexed drawings. The coupling-hook d under this constructioncarries the forked lever .b, or its equivalent, which is pivoted at c tothe said hook. The rivetor pin f, asshown more pan.

tieularly in section at Fig. 12, is flattened on two sides at that partof its length which is opposite to the lever b. The distaneebetween thetwo arms (1' of the lever b is suchthat it admits of the flattenedportion of the pin f falling between the said arms, as indicated atFigs. 10 and 12. The upper part of the lever b is provided with thestop'e, which abuts against the frontof the coupling-hook (1 when thesaid lever 12 is in that position necessary.

to receive the pin f. When thecoupling-hoo'k d is turned down, asindicated at Fig. 12, for the purpose of raising the coupling-chain to acoupling position, the lower end of the lever 11 is brought against therigid stop f, or its equivalent, which projects from the under side ofthe fork q or other convenient part, and thus forces the said lever binto such a. position that the pin f drops between the arms d, and thusthe coupling-chain may be raised into its coupling position-that istosay, into the position represented at Fig. 10 of the annexed drawings.

It is obvious that when the coupling-chain is forced backward by anycolliding vehicle. or other structure the pin fis disengaged from thelever b, which then by its ownlgravity cants over into an inoperativeposition, as shown at Fig. 11 of the annexed drawings.

I claim 1 The combination of a. draw-bar, a hook pivoted to thedraw-bar, a link hinged to the hook, means for locking the hook inrequired position, and a latch or lever for supporting the link on thehook, substantiallyas set forth.

2.. The combination of a draw-bar, a hook, d, having projections 12 onits rear edge and pivoted to the draw-bar, a piston located in andhaving a recess, w, for receiving the projections, and a spring forprojecting the piston, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a draw-bar, a hook, (I, having projections 12, ashaft having cams t, and a spring-pressed piston having a recess, w, forthe projections,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a draw-bar, a hook, d, pivoted therein, formedwith curved slot 12. and a latch, Z, and a link hinged to the hookhaving a pin, is, engaged by the latch, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a draw-bar, a hook pivoted thereto havingelongated slot, a link pivoted in said slot, and means for supportingthe link in horizontal position on the hook, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of a draw-bar, a hook pivoted thereto, and a chainpivoted to the hook, consisting of bars 0, having projections 1', linka, having stops j, pivot-pin f, and bolt h, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of a draw-bar, a hook pivoted thereto, and a link, a,having guides b and hinged to the hook, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of a draw-bar having a forked end, (1, projections zz, and easing y, and the hook (I, pivoted to the end, substantially asset forth.

9. The combination of a draw-bar having projections z z and link-rests aa, and the hook d, pivoted to the draw-bar, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihavesigned my name 3 5 to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN DARLING.

Witnesses:

I. Y. JOHNSON, J OHN LIDDLE, Both of 115 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow.

